Animal I Have Become
by StakeTheHeart
Summary: Jade and Beck have hit rock bottom in their relationship and seek an adventure together so they plan a camping trip. Things don't go as planned though and they end up getting lost. Beck returns but what about Jade? What became of her when she does return? It's up to Tori to set things right. One Shot


_**A request for Invader Johnny. Happy Bday dude! I had fun writing this. The Three Days Grace song by the same name was the inspiration behind this. Hope you like it. Enjoy!**_

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_**Rain was pouring, sending creatures scurrying for cover down in the undergrowth. Thunder and lightning clashed in the sky, making the only human in the forest cringe as she tried to stay sheltered from the storm. She was out here trying in vain to find a road back to the one she thought she lost, but in reality, she was the one lost. They had a fight, a big one that tore them apart in more ways than one. They were separated now and she didn't know how much time had passed since the last time she saw him. Thunder cracked again as she buried her face in her hands, clutching a music note necklace in her fist that hung from her neck. It was the only comfort she had left, a connection to home. A letter she had written not too long ago was folded in a zip lock bag and stuffed in the hidden inside pocket of the leather jacket she wore. She would never have admitted to the tears running down her face in the past but now she embraced them. She didn't know when she would be found or if she would live until then. She didn't even know if the one she tried hard to hold onto was still alive, but even though they had a falling out, she hoped he was. She remained curled up under the poor excuse for a shelter, hoping she would survive. Maybe not for herself or the one she had tried to hold onto, but for the one back home she had denied ever having a connection of any sort with. She had to make it out alive for that person. Her hand tightened on the accessory as more tears fell, blending with the rain. This would only be the beginning of her long journey for survival.**_

Rain pounded against the windows of my room, thunder shaking the glass and lightning tearing at the sky. It was dark and gloomy, just as I was feeling inside. The conflict and sadness and fear was killing me. Ever since Jade and Beck left on a trip that was supposed to be one that would bring them together was the beginning of a nightmare. I could only imagine what Jade must be going through right now. Or at least, I hoped she was going through something and not just…oh god no, I couldn't finish that thought. I rolled over in my bed and gripped my pillow tightly. Jade, the bully I fell head over heels for the more I got to know her. Never mind the fact that she hated me, but she was already taken by my friend Beck. I liked to say they were good together but really, they had more fights than anything. When they announced that they would be leaving on a trip I went out of my way yet again to cheer Jade up personally. I got her a music note necklace that I had been eyeing for myself for quite some time. I felt it was important to give this to her before she left. Call me superstitious but I may have been right about that strange vibe I got that day.

They were supposed to go out camping god knows where for a couple weeks, but when a month or so passed without a single hint of communication we all began to get worried. We tried different forms of getting in contact with them but all had failed. Jade's father began calling in every connection he had to find his daughter. I began to panic so bad my friends grew worried for me. I mean, they were our friends yet they weren't worried. Or maybe just not as much as I was. My parents and even my sister tried to calm me but nothing worked. Nothing would calm me down until I knew for sure that they were either alive or…no, no I have to keep those thoughts out. I bit back a sob that burned my throat. I had started crying myself to sleep every night after the six months had passed. It just hurt more after that. I would have thought it would hurt less when Beck was found but it didn't ease. Instead, my anxiety took a new turn when all the search parties brought back was Beck, clutching Jade's torn up leather jacket. Her favorite one with the multitude of pockets and the hidden one she claimed no one knew about but me. She told me about it on a rare occasion that we hung out together, just me and her, at my house.

The reason I was such a mess more than I had been already, was because of the battered letter I found in that very same pocket. It looked as though it had been handled more than once, like she read and reread it as a form of comfort. I've read it so many times now that I could say it off the top of my head. It meant so much because it was addressed personally to me. I was glad I bothered to check that pocket the day Beck stopped by with the jacket in hand. He was all cleaned up on the outside but inside he was depressed and in turmoil, a mess just like me. He said there was no one he trusted more than me to open up to about what happened. He told me how he messed up, made the mistake of letting Jade vent on her own, tried to find her and failed. Then he showed me the only thing he ever found of her in all those days of searching, her jacket. I immediately checked the pocket to find the letter written to me. I remember looking into Beck's eyes and seeing the hurt, like he hoped the letter may have been for him, but it wasn't. I had no words to say besides an apology he didn't want to hear.

He told me to keep the letter and muttered something about knowing deep down he was never the one for her. I hadn't known what he meant and I never got the chance to ask again because he gave me one last meaningful glance before he left. He took some time off, removed from everyone, to pull himself together back in his hometown in Canada. When he did come back he refused to talk about the incident at all so we gave up grilling him for answers. It's been six more months since then. Jade is still out there somewhere and I'm dying a little bit every day despite acting like my normal cheery self on the outside. Having Jade gone, lost to the world, has done nothing but shown me how I truly felt about her. I might be harboring more than a crush for my former tormentor but I didn't care. All I wanted was for Jade to return home, alive and in one piece. I sat up and leaned against my headboard before pulling out the zip lock bag from inside my pillow case where I hid it. I slid it out carefully and unfolded it slowly. My eyes read over the words written in Jade's neat yet unique scrawl for possibly the thousandth time already.

_Vega_

_I don't really know what I'm doing here, writing this to you. I guess it's just a form of trying to stay sane. I don't even know why I've chosen you for that matter except for the simple fact that you have an understanding I've never seen before in anyone else. I know I've never been all that nice to you but I still keep you around because, well, I trust you. I think it's crazy and stupid and weak of me to put such hope in someone I thought I hated but the truth of the matter is, you're a pretty ok person who I've really come to admire and lean on. I'm sorry for all I've done to you and hope you can forgive me. I had to at least get that off my chest and hope I don't regret treating you badly until the day I finally die in this hell hole. In all honesty I have to say I might be losing the battle. Every day I feel like I'm slipping away. I tried thinking things out logically but when that only took me in circles I tried to just relax and embrace where I was, find that primal instinct I know we all have hidden somewhere inside us and turn it into a kind of method acting exercise. It's been working well but I think it's working a little too well. I'm scared Tori, for my humanity. I can't seem to remember some things besides the basics. I get so angry sometimes and feel so hopeless. Why bother anymore? Would I even be saved in time? I can only sit and wait and hope that I would be. Tori, I hope you can find it in you to forgive me and if I die here than I can only hope you find this. Knowing you I'm sure you will and I'll get that forgiveness. I wouldn't put it past you Sweet Sally Peaches. On a more serious note, I'm sure my mind will be long gone if they do find me. I only have one request of you if you ever see me again. Please Tori, even though it might be hard, save as much of my humanity as you can or just let me die. I don't want to lose myself to this, whatever it is, that's destroying my thoughts and the things that make me who I am. I trust you to do this for me. I know you'll make the right choice. You always do._

_Jade_

A tear fell onto her name when it slipped off my nose. I never could stop the tears from falling every time I read her note. It was more than a goodbye and pained me more than one too. She didn't sit down and write something like this to everyone. Instead, she wrote one that confessed her fears yet held her determination to survive in every word. Yes, it was written only for me to read, which did things to my heart I couldn't comprehend. She would return, and when she did, I vowed to help Jade in any way I could, a promise I would do everything in my power to fulfill when I saw her again. I waited for the day she would return so I could begin working towards recovering the Jade everyone knew, and I wouldn't stop. She had said I should give up on her if nothing worked but I couldn't do that; I wouldn't allow it. Something had to work even if I had to make it work. I won't let her die that way. I replaced the letter in its bag and tucked it away. I curled in on myself as I always did and eventually fell into a fitful sleep.

The next morning was bright and cheery, a complete contrast to last night's storm but not enough to make me feel any better. It was a Saturday and I had some running to do regardless of how I felt. Weather wasn't going to put me off my schedule either. I got ready and grabbed my Pear Phone on the way out along with my headphones. I put them in my ear and started up the playlist featuring a few songs that always reminded me of the blue-green eyed girl I constantly thought of daily. My friends tried to keep my mind off her as much as they could but it was a futile effort. Jade was all I worried about, stored in the back of my head while I went about my daily life. As I ran I hummed to the song playing in my ear. Twenty minutes into the run, a black sedan with a silver streak down the side rolled past me before the breaks slammed and the car backed up. Startled, I stopped to stare.

"Victoria Vega right?" a deep, gruff voice said as the window rolled down. A man with a serious but familiar face stared back at me. His black hair was perfectly combed back and his eyes caught mine like a trap. They were just like Jade's eyes but contained more blue than green.

"M-Mr. West, why are you-" I stuttered, caught off guard.

"I've been looking for you Miss Vega. I wanted to let you know they found her. They found Jade and she's home right now. She's been here for a while but she had to be checked into the hospital so that they could make sure she hadn't obtained any severe injuries or sicknesses. I didn't think it was prudent to say anything until she recovered. Beck has already tried to see her but…well, you'll see. He told me to get you; that you could help. I just wanted to let you know," he explained, his big hands running over the steering wheel like he was trying to find something to do. I had always thought Jade's dad hated her but the more I saw of him the more I understood he was just a single father who lost the love of his life and didn't know how to connect with his only daughter. That particular story was something Jade had shared with me on a night when she snuck in my room for comfort. I always wondered why but she never elaborated and I didn't push for more, afraid she would distance herself from me again. I told her I would always be there should she need me. That was the first and last time she did something like that. The current situation shoved that thought process away in favor of something more important.

"I- I have no words that could possibly…I'll be right there! Hold on, I'll be there. I just need to go home and-" I stumbled, my eyes wide and brain racing a million miles a minute. She's been back! She's alive! I could run around cheering my thanks to whatever it was that governed fate because Jade was alive and home!

"Come quickly, we have a bit of a problem," he stated sternly. I froze and looked at him with renewed worry.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, my hands fiddling with each other.

"She's…you'll see," he repeated again, unable to explain. His tinted windows rolled up and he sped off before I could question him further. I didn't wait a second longer. I ran at breakneck speed back home, panting and out of breath but unwilling to stop. I got into comfortable jeans and a t-shirt before grabbing my keys and bolting from the house. I was more than glad that my parents were out and so was Trina or they would have slowed me down with their questions. I drove straight for Jade's house and parked behind Beck's truck. It looked like it was only us two visiting Jade at the moment with the addition of Jade's dad. I wondered if Beck was the first to be informed and he only mentioned me to Mr. West to keep the crowd to a minimum. It would sure help Jade stay calm, but why me? Was he suspicious of my feelings for her? Did he know I held her close to my heart like no one else? I hoped not because I had nothing to say should he ask. I quickly jogged up to the West residence and knocked on the door. It swung open to reveal Beck's tired yet saddened expression.

"I came as fast as I could," I told him, slightly panting from both the excitement as well as anxiety. He nodded and backed up to let me in, shutting the door behind me.

"She's uh, in her room," he mumbled. Jade's dad came out of the kitchen with a glass of something I suspected was strong because I could smell it where I stood. I wrinkled my nose, never a fan of alcohol, and then glanced at Beck. He was watching me with his calculative dark brown eyes.

"Lead the way," I told him, gesturing to the door I knew held stairs down to the basement that was converted into Jade's room. I had only been in there once when Cat insisted we have a sleep over together at Jade's house. It was better than enduring her brother who, at the time, was off his pills until they could get more. Beck sighed heavily, bringing me back into focus. He ran a hand through his hair before nodding and walking over to pull open the black door. I walked in after him, shutting the door behind me.

"Be careful, she's a little on edge. We think she may have been out there too long. She doesn't act…human," Beck tried to explain as we took the stairs down. I stopped when I heard that and Beck stopped to look back at me.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"Tori, she's been out there living a life in the wilderness. She's been through some harsh environmental factors and I think she either lost her mind or regressed into something more primal to better survive," he answered seriously. I knew the answer to that but I didn't bring up the letter. That was written to me and me only, something Jade wanted me to know and no one else or it would have been written to anyone.

"Whatever she did it was for the best I'm sure," I responded firmly. He stared at me for some time before nodding.

"It was hard just handling her. She had to be sedated so she could be admitted into the hospital. She's fine besides a few scars and the drastic change in her behavior. She may have bitten a few people when she woke up again. Just be careful ok?" he cautioned. The news alone had me worried for Jade. She sounded…like an animal, that was hurt and confused so it lashed out not knowing what else to do. It made me all the more determined to take care of her. My hand absentmindedly went to the letter in my pocket. I practically carried it with me everywhere as well as sleeping with it under my pillow. To be fair, and less creepy, it was the only connection I had to Jade. Now that she was back I knew it was a matter of time before she would get better, and she will, I would make sure of it.

"Ok, I'll be careful," I agreed. He nodded before continuing down the stairs. I didn't know what I expected but what I saw made me gasp and stare with wide eyes. Jade still looked like Jade except for the various visible scars that stood out on her pale skin. She was sitting by her bed, hugging her legs to her chest as her sharp gaze flicked over the room questionably like she didn't know where she was. Her hair was cut short, probably because it was more than totaled when they found her. I didn't mean to let my eyes run over her body the way they did but holy goshness, she looked like she took out a subscription to the gym! Her body was toned but retained her curves in a way that made me blush a little.

Her usual scowl was replaced with what could only be described as baring her teeth. She was dressed in a plain shirt and shorts. I subconsciously took a single step forward and suddenly her head tilted in my direction before her eyes were on me. They narrowed curiously before looking to Beck. A low growl rolled from her mouth, pinning me in place. Whoa, that was unexpected. Before I knew it she was on her feet and charging for Beck. He backpedaled just enough to stand behind a strip of tape I hadn't noticed marking the red carpet. Jade was yanked to a halt behind the line by the restraints on her wrists. Sounds of anger flew from her as she tried to get at Beck. She was breathing heavily, a flash in her eyes that promised pain.

"Oh," I whispered, bringing a hand to my mouth. Beck looked over at me, slightly uncomfortable.

"She's violent towards everyone. I don't know who she knows and who she doesn't know so I thought it best to keep everyone away until she undergoes some therapy to sort things out. For right now I thought we could start with the two people who had the most impact on her. The two who have been there for her," he explained, his voice a little on the melancholy side.

"Beck, you know-" I tried to explain but he held up a hand to silence me. I noticed a scar running along his arm for the first time since he returned. He didn't look nearly as scarred as Jade though. I meant that in more than physical terms.

"Save it Tori. I understand, really," he stated sternly.

"But-" I tried again but he just shook his head.

"Talk to her…please? Bring her to her senses. I know you can do it," he pleaded.

"Why can't **you** do it?" I questioned him, starting to panic. Jade's letter formed in my head, making me close my eyes to avoid his hurt stare. She had felt us growing close too, just as Beck did now. We did have a connection even if it didn't look like it.

"I can't, she won't listen to me. She doesn't even like me anymore. She always does this when she sees me, like she wants to claw my eyes out or bite me," he responded, looking at Jade who had started to pace in frustration. She looked every bit like a wazzed off panther in a cage.

"Ok…ok, I'll try," I agreed quietly, nodding my head. He smiled softly and patted my shoulder before brushing past me.

"I'll sit right here on the steps so she can't see me," he suggested. I nodded numbly, looking down at the floor. When I looked back up I took in the trashed books and items surrounding Jade. I hadn't noticed them before. Her bed was in ruins and the blankets spilled onto the floor. I cleared my throat and stepped up so that I was right behind the tape. It was the closest I was willing to go for now.

"Jade?" I called to her uncertainly. She looked over immediately at the sound of her name. Her eyes seemed to analyze me with an air of cold indifference before she began walking over to me. Walking being the word I used lightly. I hadn't noticed before but she moved in a way that could only be described as a cross between a human and a cat. It was unnatural but smooth and agile. She walked on her hands and feet, keeping her knees bent and held in close to her body, creating a movement that reminded me of a stalking jungle cat. When she finally reached me she stretched out enough to sniff once like any cautious animal. Then she seemed to examine the way I stood before pushing off the floor to stand awkwardly, like a baby unused to standing on two feet. Now that she was level with me I began to get nervous. Her nostrils flared again as she inhaled, like she was sniffing the air. For what? My scent? Could her senses really be that keen now? She closed her eyes and froze, her head tilted slightly like she was listening. I decided to test the waters and say something.

"Jade, can you understand me?" I asked her slowly. She frowned, her brows creasing in thought. It was then I noticed the scar over the brow that would have been adorned with her piercing. I shuddered at the implication that it could have been ripped out somehow. I really didn't want to know how. She made a short humming sound, almost as if she was thinking, before she opened her eyes and tried stepping closer. The restraints stopped her and she let out a frustrated breath. Her brilliantly clear and focused gaze locked on mine, something in them begging me to understand. Without thinking I took the few steps that would put me over the line. I didn't know whether I was crazy or not but ignored it in favor of listening to my own instincts.

I knew without a doubt that Jade wouldn't hurt me. She backed away when I got too close but when I stopped she began moving forward again. The way she studied me without even touching me interested me in ways I never thought possible. It really did feel like being scrutinized by a dog or cat upon first introduction. She leaned in and brushed her nose along my jaw, making me shiver and close my eyes with slight unknown fear and longing. A rumbling sound that seemed content reached my ears before her cool touch drifted over my face curiously. I opened my eyes to look at her, our eyes focused only on each other. As I stared I had the feeling she knew very well who I was. I offered her a smile and her own lips struggled to form something. She grunted her agitation before trying to start again.

"T-T…" she stuttered before growling and clenching her fists. I reached out unthinkingly to place a hand on her arm when Beck's voice startled us both.

"Tori, be careful!" he cried out in alarm, running over to part us. He must have just noticed how close we were and thought I was in danger. Jade quickly knocked me aside with a strong blow to the stomach. I was sent sprawling to the floor but looked up in time to see her effortlessly pick up Beck by the front of his button up and toss him back against the wall. He hit it solidly and slid down to sit with his head in his hands, dazed. I winced when I tried to move but forced myself to sit up. Jade snarled at Beck before striding over to me in that strange way. She sat in front of me, facing Beck. It took me a few seconds to realize she was defending me from him. Heavy steps on the stairs signaled the arrival of Jade's dad, and oh god, he was carrying a gun! The sight of it made me gasp.

"Did she hurt anyone?" he demanded as he came down. Jade looked on with something like caution before she swiftly grabbed me around the waist and hauled me further into the room like I was nothing more than a sack of potatoes. Her father, most likely fearing for my safety, cocked the gun at her.

"No, wait!" I yelled, my warning coming too late. Jade shoved me back against the wall and covered me, her hands on either side of my head, braced against the wall. The gun let out two short sounds that resembled nothing like a bullet. I watched as Jade flinched, her teeth clenched. She looked at me sadly before her eyes fluttered closed. Her expression fell slack, and then so did her body. I rushed to catch her before she hit the floor, yelping in surprise when she weighed way more than I thought. I ended up falling to my knees and then gently laid her on her side. A quick scan of her back showed two darts. I pulled them out and glanced up to see Mr. West helping Beck up before walking over to us.

"She wasn't hurting anyone! She was trying to protect me!" I screamed, clutching at Jade's sleeve in anger.

"She was Mr. West. I'm sorry if I alarmed you," Beck coughed, straightening up. Jade's dad sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I had to make sure. She was a force to be reckoned with before but now she has the muscle to get the job done too," he commented tiredly.

"I understand, but I think it's best if you try to encourage a calmer environment to keep her from reacting violently in return. You have to show her it's safe to let her guard down," I suggested with a shrug. The two thought it over before nodding.

"Looks like you were right Beck. She does seem to know what's best," Mr. West said, glancing at Beck and then looking down at me. I blushed at the praise but kept my eye averted. They fell on Jade who continued to sleep. Her wild features seemed to smooth out into tranquility now that she was resting.

"Let's give her time to work off the sedatives and then we'll need you to help us feed her. She doesn't take too kindly to that either," Mr. West stated.

"Not to mention she doesn't like most things at all," Beck added. I sighed and brushed back a strand of her hair, noting the color had been leeched out to leave the previously colorful strands a dull white.

"Can we at least get her on the bed? We can't leave her on the floor," I told them. They agreed, and together, we got her lying out on the bed. We headed out after but I looked back at her once more before climbing the stairs. Beck caught my eye, a knowing expression present but before I could question him he exchanged a look with Jade's dad. I was at a loss of what to say so I stayed silent.

"Go home and get something to eat Tori. We'll call you back later," Beck informed me, laying a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I nodded and excused myself. Thoughts of Jade and the humanity she spoke of in her letter were all true. She was lost to the very instincts she relied on to survive in the wilderness. She's missed so much here at home. We all graduated from our senior year and she has so much to catch up on still. She was practically gone a whole year! I sighed and parked my car before getting out and heading inside. I walked straight past Trina and entered the kitchen to fix myself something to eat.

"Where have you been? You barely leave the house and suddenly you're gone without telling anyone," Trina spoke up, a little concern in her voice but sloppily masked by indifference.

"They found Jade. I was visiting her," I replied as calmly as I could. My happiness must have leaked through somewhere because Trina jumped from the couch to make her way to me, a taunting smile on her lips.

"Great, I'm glad they found her. For your sake of course. God knows your heart only runs on the cruel treatment of that ice queen," Trina commented jokingly. I couldn't keep the blush from my face.

"Trina please, she just got back. Nothing is to be rushed," I discouraged while I got my food together. Trina rolled her eyes.

"Puh-lease, you've been fawning over her since you met her Tori. I say take your chances now while she and Beck are apart. You know, if you're there for her you might soften her up. Who knows," Trina pointed out.

"You just want Beck for yourself," I muttered, raising a brown at her.

"Ok fine, I'll admit to that, but seriously, when are you just going to make your move?" Trina asked me. I shrugged.

"I don't need to. She has enough to deal with right now," I answered. Trina just shrugged with a sigh and then turned away to return to her show.

"Suit yourself," she called over her shoulder. I rolled my eyes and took a seat to eat. Almost as soon as I finished my phone went off. A text from Beck told me she was waking up. I rushed to put my dishes away and then darted for the door.

"Running back to your girl?" Trina asked on my way out. I just stuck my tongue at her and carried on. I had no time for her teasing.

"If mom and dad happen to get home before me let them know ok? Thanks Treen," I rattled out quickly, shutting the door just as quick to avoid anything else she had to say. I jumped back in my car and drove off, heading for Jade's house. When I got out Beck met up with me on the way inside.

"You might want to speed it up. She's pissed. And by the way she treated you earlier I have a pretty good feeling you'll be able to calm her down again," Beck informed me. I nodded distractedly, my attention focused on getting inside. I could hear things breaking and Jade's enraged screams while I descended the stairs into her room. I stepped off the last one and walked closer only to cry out in surprise and dodge a book that clearly wasn't aimed at me, but right next to me, at Beck. He calmly dodged it and raised a brow at me.

"She has good aim," I stated weakly. He only raised his brow higher and gestured to Jade. I nodded and turned to approach her carefully but I didn't need to because Jade's attention was already on me. She looked sad and frantic, but hopeful. I stopped at the line and kneeled down to wait for her to come to me. She crawled forward with something like a whimper. The sound made my heart constrict. I scooted a little over the line, careful to move slowly. Jade stopped in front of me and stared at me with an expression I thought looked a lot like a dog who was in trouble and asking for forgiveness. I offered her a smile and held out my hands to her, hoping she still remembered what the gesture meant. She wasted no time throwing her arms around me, her grip practically crushing me but I didn't care. I was too preoccupied with the way she was nuzzling my neck and making the same weird rumbling sound that I knew meant she was happy. I couldn't fight the blush that heated my cheeks at the realization that in her own way she was telling me that she liked me, trusted me. She let me go suddenly and pulled me back to glare at Beck who had walked forward.

"Beck, be careful. I think she sees you as a threat," I warned him. He nodded but the determined look in his eyes was too forced for my liking. Was he jealous? I shook my head of the thought and watched as Beck crouched on the floor to show he wasn't going to harm her. He held out a hand and waited. She glanced down at his hand before looking back at him. A scowl crossed her face and she growled again. He instantly backed away with his hands raised.

"Ok, ok, I'm going," he said, quickly removing himself. Jade stood up on her feet menacingly to prove her point. She was like a cobra with its hood spread, ready to strike if the danger came too close again.

"Jade," I called to her hesitantly. Like a light switch she became tame again. She looked over at me in what I could only describe as a pet looking up to its owner. Beck must have seen it too because he let out a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through his hair. Jade crouched down to walk over to me before taking a seat next to me. I smiled at her and then stood to walk back over to Beck. She watched me go, her eyes analyzing the situation but not moving an inch.

"Beck, I'm so sorry. I know it's hard for you and-" I began but he shook his head.

"No, you **don't** know. Tori, even though we fought a lot, I loved her. I still do. Almost losing her has made me even more determined to keep her with me. I have to protect her. I can't let anything else happen to her. I was more than willing to show her who she was, be there for her, save her from whatever she's lost in, but then you-you showed up and made it more than clear that she doesn't need me. She doesn't **want **me anymore. I wonder if she ever did?" he mourned, leaning back against the wall and gripping his arms. I tried to place a comforting hand on his arm but he grabbed it before I could react. His posture was rigid, a dark cloud in his now harsh eyes.

"Beck, you know I didn't mean to-" I said in a rush of sudden fear. I had never seen Beck act like this. He clenched his teeth and yanked me forward to do god knows what but at that moment there was a cracking snap and then I was thrown back. I fell on my back hard, the air knocking out of me. I heard Beck cry out in pain and I scrambled to my feet to get Jade off of Beck. She had him by the neck, his body held off the ground and pressed against the wall behind him. A snarl tore past her lips and it was then I noticed they were bloody. Was that hers or his? It didn't matter, I had to stop this. I ran forward and grabbed at Jade's tense arm. Her muscles only seemed to tighten at my touch.

"Jade, please, let him go! He didn't mean it! Jade, please," I pleaded with her, my voice breaking in panic. She was breathing heavily, her unforgiving gaze on Beck, but slowly, she relaxed a little more and looked at me. I smiled and laid another hand on her arm. She removed her own hands from Beck and ran into me, her arms clinging to my body desperately. No matter how threatening she seemed seconds before, now she was nothing more than a scared child. She let out a series of whimpers and tucked her head under my chin.

"Hey, it's ok, you're fine. You're ok," I assured her. I caught Beck's eyes as he looked up from checking the wound on his forearm.

"Did she **bite** you?" I asked him incredulously, getting the answer to where the blood on her mouth came from.

"Yeah, it seems she did," he answered blandly, dropping his injured arm to the side. I watched as his hand brushed the tranquilizer gun at his belt. I hadn't seen it there before and wondered why Beck hadn't used it yet. Maybe he really did care for Jade. I felt absolutely horrible at that moment. I knew I didn't really steal Jade from him, but, I kinda did. There was no way around it. If I could change that I would, because I hated it when anyone I cared for was as broken as Beck looked right now.

"Beck…" I tried again but he shook his head and heaved a sigh.

"No, just…take care of her ok? Mr. West told me he booked a therapist for her and wants her to interact with others when she's ready. He thinks in time she'll find herself. Maybe it's best if you take the time to be with her. Out of all of us I think you're what she needs right now," he informed me, turning away to head upstairs. I thought I heard him whisper something about Jade always needing me from the beginning but I ignored it in favor of the betrayal I already felt burning in my throat like acid. Jade seemed to know how I was feeling because she pulled away to tilt her head questioningly at me. Before I could say anything I heard Beck speak again.

"I'm going to get this patched up. Stay here with her until the therapist shows up. Her dad told me as much as he wanted to stay he can't because of work so she's all ours to watch over. Shouldn't be too hard right?" he said, trying to joke but his voice fell flat. I laughed hesitantly and nodded. He glanced at Jade once more before disappearing upstairs. I sighed heavily and carefully removed Jade from me. She whimpered and clung to me but I just shook my head.

"It's ok Jade, you're fine," I told her softly as I moved to sit down. She sat down next to me and leaned against my shoulder, an action I didn't expect. I didn't know if I could ever get used to her needing me so much. It was so surreal I couldn't grasp it.

"What happened out there to make you like this?" I asked her, not expecting an answer but needing to talk. Right about now the old Jade would yell at me for needing to talk. She would have preferred silence, but this new Jade stared at me curiously. She looked like she wanted to understand but wasn't able to. I wondered what was going on in her head. Did she still have the mental capacity to think as she always has but was only trapped in the role she set up in defense against the wild or did she really regress into total primal instincts? I groaned tiredly and held my head in my hands. Jade grumbled something I couldn't understand and then began picking at the remains of the restraints on her wrists. I glanced over at her and then reached over to help her. There really was no need for them now. I was hoping she wouldn't try to escape. I didn't want to put too much stock in how interested she was in me but I hoped it was enough to keep her here. I removed the last restraint on her and tossed them aside.

Jade rubbed over the marks on her wrists and then walked away. I watched her climb on her bed and begin pawing at the blankets. She turned in a circle a few times, smoothing out the blankets as she went before finally laying down. I couldn't hold back the giggle that shook me. She was like a cat or dog getting comfortable. She tightened into a ball, her arms holding onto herself. I got to my feet and walked over to perch on the edge of the bed. I took the time to really study her now that she was calm, her eyes staring ahead, her teeth nibbling at her lip in what I thought must be her thinking. My eyes fell on a thick scar that ran across her shoulder. I could barely see it where her shirt fell a little. It looked like it must have been deep. Everywhere her pale skin was bare there was a mark of some sort, a permanent reminder of what she went through. Without thinking I reached out and traced a scar at the edge of her jaw that further curved under onto her neck. I felt her shudder under me, her eyes closing, and a hum falling from her lips. I let my hand trail over her face to brush back her hair.

Her eyes opened slowly before they flicked over to look at me. I froze, not knowing if I crossed a boundary or not. She pushed my hand away and then sat up, her eyes never leaving mine. There was an emotion I couldn't place on her face. It was making me anxious for some reason. Her eyebrows creased before she slipped her arm around my waist and dragged me onto the bed effortlessly. I moved to lean against the headboard but I couldn't sit up straight in time when she followed to curl up with her head on my stomach, her arm draped over me. She buried her nose in my shirt and inhaled, letting it out with a content sigh. There she goes with the nuzzling again. I blushed but resumed running my hand through her short hair. I missed the long waves and always wished I could run my fingers through it but this would have to do. I don't know how long I stayed like that but Jade eventually fell asleep and I was well on my way. I let my head fall back and my eyes close but right when I felt like I really would fall asleep Beck's voice startled me awake along with another voice I didn't know.

"Yeah, she's down here. So, you sure you can figure this out Doc?" Beck asked the newcomer.

"I can try. I've never come across anything like this before. Pardon me saying this, but usually people don't make it out of these situations…or don't make it out alive at all," the therapist responded. They finally stepped off the last stair and entered the room. Jade seemed to have better senses than I thought because I heard her inhale suddenly. She lifted her head and looked over at them. I could feel the rumbling growl start up but I shushed her, a hand on her back soothing away her suspicion. She glanced at me before looking back at them.

"It's ok," I whispered to her. She stayed quiet after that and allowed the therapist closer, but not Beck. He remained leaning against the wall to appease her.

"My, this is something new. She seems to have put a claim on you miss…" he began. I blushed but answered him.

"Vega, Tori Vega sir," I introduced myself.

"Well Miss Vega that is classic animal territorial behavior. I'm sure you've seen some dog owners with companions who do the same thing. I can't say it will be best to discourage her of this because she is still human so she has a much more complex thought process. Where dogs will learn this behavior is undesired, she may lash out, so I'll allow her to do whatever necessary to keep her in a more manageable state. Don't you agree?" he explained logically. I just nodded. He smiled kindly and advanced, his tall frame unobtrusive despite his size. He had black hair with a streak of white along the sides, his brown eyes were soft and understanding, and the glasses sitting on his nose added to his amiable features. Jade seemed to agree, or was just going along with how I was handling the situation, because the only indicator of her unease was her tense body. I continued to rub her back just in case.

"Yeah," I replied with a nod.

"Very well, let's see where she is intellectually shall we?" he began, staring at Jade like she was a puzzle to be solved. Two hours later uncovered that Jade was no less intelligent than she started out as. In fact, she didn't take too kindly to some of the things the therapist did or said. It was almost like seeing the old Jade except she couldn't spit out acerbic words or sarcasm like I was waiting for. The doctor left after that and I decided now was the best time to head home. It was getting late.

"Stay until she goes to sleep. I'll bring you something to eat. I think it's best if we keep her calm now that she's free of any restraint," Beck suggested, getting up to leave. I nodded and remained sitting on the floor by Jade who was busy pulling the laces out of a pair of boots she found. I held back a laugh, choosing instead to bite my lip. Jade looked up from what she was doing to glare at me. She clearly didn't like to be questioned, even now. I watched her inspect random objects in her room, thinking that this was the longest I've ever spent with Jade and it was interesting to say the least. Beck came back with a box of pizza that made Jade sniff the air. Her eyes widened in recognition and before any of us could do anything she swiftly jumped Beck for the box, knocking him over and yanking it from his hands.

She smirked, the same one she always had on a daily bases before, and set up camp on her bed with the stolen box. She flipped it open and pulled out a piece, having trouble at first but getting the hang of it. Beck frowned but a moment later he laughed. I joined him, having tried to hold it back for his sake. I stood to see if I could wrestle at least a piece from her but she already held one out to me. I was shocked but touched for some reason too. I took it, watching as she made sure I took her offering. She stared at me until I took a bite and then she went back to eating. I shrugged at Beck who sighed and returned upstairs to get something for himself. Jade knocked out after that, gripping my shirt in her fist until she fell asleep. I carefully removed myself and left, leaving Beck to stand guard outside her door.

"You'll be ok until tomorrow?" I asked him, fidgeting with my shirt. I don't think I'll ever be fully comfortable around him again.

"Sure. You're coming over again right? You won't be busy?" he questioned. I shook my head.

"Nah, I'm always a loner during the summer. I'll be here for her as long as she needs me," I replied jokingly at first but my tone turning serious by the end. He looked conflicted but nodded eventually.

"Ok, see you tomorrow around three. The therapist is coming back at that time and I think you should be here again when he does. I didn't miss how pissed and offended he made Jade. I think she understands to a certain extent," he commented. I laughed but agreed. Jade never did like to be offended in any way. I left after that, returning home to questions I had no desire to answer. Jade's business was to stay between those who were let in to see her and I wasn't going to breach that. I went to sleep feeling way better than I had in months. I couldn't wait to see Jade again. The best part was, I was well on my way to helping her just as she asked. Jade needed me and I wasn't going to let her down. Of course, that was how my days began to pan out. I woke up and ate, spent the majority of the day at Jade's house, and then went home. Rinse and repeat. Sometimes I would spend the night and other times I would go home early when Jade's dad got a day off to try and spend time with her, which was rare. The therapist came every day to keep analyzing her and add up all he had to say on her condition. I asked him all the questions I had including why she couldn't talk yet but he said he thinks it may have to do with the process of repressing what she didn't need and instead running on pure instinct.

In short, she didn't need the ability to talk so she stopped. He said she may be still ignoring it and needs time to adjust to communicating in that way again. He suggested we talk to her as much as possible to speed that along. As for the way she moves, another instinctual need. He believes that she must have stopped handling things like a human and started doing more laborious work and less thinking work. As he found out though, it hasn't worn down her thinking skills at all. Her problem solving was lightning-quick and she was fast to resort to force when things didn't go her way, something I always knew Jade tended to do but the difference being she was able to control it before. Right now she didn't seem to know right from wrong because that was something else she didn't need. It was only survival and how to keep it going no matter what. It all seemed to boil down to socializing and reintegrating her into society. Her old habits and tendencies should fall back into place the more she came to terms with these things and began to recognize her surroundings. Or, that was what he concluded. I really hoped that was the case.

"I'll visit once more to see how she's doing. Based on my findings during that time I'll let you know how she's doing as a whole. I look forward to seeing you again," the therapist said in farewell, standing from his crouch in front of Jade who had retreated to the corner of her room when I warned her not to hurt the good doctor for his recent inquiry. Surprisingly she listened but decided to remove herself from my side almost like she was giving me the cold shoulder. She was getting better at holding her temper and trying to communicate back but she still acted on the instincts she seemed to pick up in the wilderness.

"Thank you," I replied gratefully.

"It's my pleasure. Good bye," he said with a smile.

"Bye," I responded with a small wave. Jade sighed heavily and leaned back against the wall. She gave me a tired but peeved frown and I laughed. I don't think she likes her time with the therapist very much.

"Sorry Jade, it has to be done," I told her with a shrug. She stood, careful to compare her stance with mine before trying to walk forward. Her eyes were stormy with irritation when she approached me. I subconsciously stepped back, unsure if she intended to hurt me or not. Jade always scared me when she gave me that look. I heard Beck shift on the stairs, looking back at us with an alert expression but staying where he was. Jade let out a few sounds that were disjointed and hard to understand. What was she trying to say? She always made me anxious when she acted all serious like this. I didn't know if she was going to have another fit or just try to talk again, but that usually blew her top with frustration when she couldn't pronounce anything; which was often taken out on Beck because she refused to hurt me after the few times she did on accident.

She seemed really upset when that happened, like she was afraid I'd leave her because of it. I wouldn't, but her behavior still scared me sometimes. She stumbled a little but caught herself to continue forward. She gripped my shoulders with determination and opened her mouth but sighed and hung her head. When she looked back up it shocked me to see she was crying. It twisted at me to see her like that. She must really be hurting by all this. I pulled her into a hug which she was now familiar with after the many times I comforted her in this way. She clung to me, her tears soaking my shirt. She was a silent crier, something that irked me even more. It felt like she was still bottling up her emotions like the old Jade. Or maybe, she just didn't know how to express them? Maybe that was the problem. It didn't help that she couldn't physically talk about it. She mumbled something against my shoulder but I couldn't hear what was said.

"What?" I asked her, pushing her back to brush away strands of hair on her face. I usually tried to be as affectionate as I could with her. It seemed to keep her calm and encourage her.

"T-Tori?" she finally stuttered out, her intense blue-green eyes locking with mine. I stared at her, completely taken aback. I heard Beck gasp somewhere behind me.

"Y-yeah Jade?" I replied, waiting for more. Instead, she just leaned in to press her forehead to mine in a rare show of affection. She stayed like that, her eyes closed. I let mine flutter shut and just enjoyed the moment. I was brought back to the present when her hands slid down to grab my wrists. I opened my eyes in slight alarm to meet her calm gaze. Her lips twitched up ever so slightly like she wanted to smile, but it didn't appear. She leaned in enough to brush my nose with hers. The gesture felt so meaningful and so dang cute it made me chuckle. She reached up to brush her fingers over my cheek, something she did when I blushed so I knew I was blushing at the moment. If she could talk I'm sure she would be teasing me right about now. I held her hand against my face and sighed.

"As much as I like spending this time with you, I really wish the old Jade would come back to me," I confided in her quietly, not at all worried that I would upset her. She let out a small whimper, maybe a struggle to tell me she was trying. I sighed, dropped her hand, and looked into her eyes before leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek. I was happy to see she blushed a little, her eyes running over my face in confusion, trying to figure out what was happening. I chuckled and squeezed her hand in mine before stepping away. I heard Beck stand abruptly and stomp up the stairs but I ignored him for now, hoping he would be ok.

"I'll see you later Jade," I told her softly. I turned to move away but she shook her head. She crouched into the walk she picked up in the wild and quickly cut me off by taking a shortcut sliding over her desk with an agility that caught me off guard. I jumped when I realized how fast she moved from one place to the other to efficiently block my path. It was always a shock when she displayed her heightened abilities. I still wasn't used to them.

"N-n…" she tried to force out. She growled and shook her head but remained standing resolutely in my way. I knew she was denying my departure but I had to go. I wanted to stay longer, heck, I'd spend the night again if I had to but not this time. I had to be home and ready to leave tomorrow. I had to attend Trina's try outs for an upcoming play she landed for the city's production of Hamlet. I doubted she would make it but I promised her I would be there. After she accused me of pretty much blowing off everyone and everything else for Jade I had to prove her wrong. Jade was important to me but I had to admit I **was** ignoring other things. I had to make amends.

"Please Jade. Let me go. I know, I'll miss you too. I always do, but maybe, if you wait for me patiently, I'll spend the night with you again," I bargained, knowing she would understand. She seemed to sag sadly but finally moved to lean against the wall.

"Thank you," I told her, walking over to grip her hand in mine reassuringly. I realized that I may have gotten more than attached to her and I was comfortable telling her almost everything I had on my mind while she listened. We had a connection that I loved dearly but that same reliance on each other was holding us back from spending time on our own. We both needed a break; me more than her.

"I'll be right back," I assured her one last time. She nodded slowly, trying out the new gesture she picked up from seeing us use it so often. I smiled and let go of her hand to walk up a few stairs. I glanced back at her to see she had wandered over to her shelf of movies. I remembered back to the day I set up a movie for her and was happy to see her open the case, pop out the DVD, and begin the process of starting it up. She was well on her way. I smiled and then continued up the stairs. Jade must like being here or she just found safety in her room because ever since she got free she didn't once make a run for the door. But I guess that's what it came down to; fight or flight. Jade would never take flight. She was a fighter. I shut the door behind me and came face to face with Beck. He was standing with his arms crossed, a frustrated expression on his face.

"How?" he asked, tone breaking but face still as a stone.

"How what?" I replied, unable to look him in the eyes. I knew he was beginning to harbor feelings of jealousy and regret plus maybe a little guilt at the situation unfolding in front of him. Even Jade could feel his negative presence. I assumed that was why she tried to protect me from him all the time. I also knew that Beck was hurting and it was my fault.

"Beck, you know I never meant for any of this to happen. I never meant for her to…" I began uncertainly, not knowing what else to say. Couldn't he see how sorry I was?

"But it did Tori. It isn't just now either. She's felt this way for you for some time, I just know it. She just refused to accept it in the past. How else do you think she began to spend time with you right before we left? We were falling apart and there you were, with open arms ready to help like you always do. I don't blame you but I still wonder how. How could she claim to hate you when I could see she was attracted to you? I just don't know how it all happened," he stated, rubbing his hands over his face tiredly. Beck had been trying to warm Jade up to him for the past three months since she had come home but at best she would allow him closer and listen to what he had to say. Other than that, she snapped at him; sometimes literally. She bit him twice more since the first time. It was either her teeth or her nails so we held her down to cut them so that they remained short and harmless. Combine that with her strength and it made her really dangerous to be around, especially if she didn't like someone. She was ok with her dad, showing some recognition, and the therapist was saved any harm since I told her he was ok. But Beck was still held at a distance no matter what I said and I knew it was tearing him apart inside.

"I'm so sorry. You have to know I am Beck," I pleaded with him. He nodded and walked forward to pull me into an unexpected hug. I held onto him, knowing he needed it more than me. My eyes watered at the pain I could feel roll off him in waves.

"I'm letting her go now Tori. Take care of her for me. This is just too much," he whispered. I pulled back to look at him questionably.

"I've been planning on taking another break. My parents and I are going out to Canada again. I think the trip will do me some good," he informed me, wiping at his eyes even though I saw no tears. I nodded, not able to talk. Silence fell between us, something I didn't want so I forced myself to speak.

"Have fun," I choked out, wiping at my own eyes.

"Tori," he called to me, his hand bringing my head up by the chin when I looked away.

"Don't worry anymore. You don't have to apologize. I couldn't think of a better person to take care of her," he told me sincerely. He smiled, that warm boyish smile of his. It tugged a smile on my own face.

"I uh, I have to get going now. Um, see you around Beck. Stay in touch 'cause the gang is restless already with our vague texts as it is," I told him with a nervous laugh, the situation still lingering in the form of uncertainty. I hoped Beck and I could still be friends after all this.

"I know. Hey, do me a favor and let them know for me ok? Tonight was my last day here. I head out tomorrow. I didn't bring it up because I wanted to be able to leave without any questions," he responded, his hands slipping into his pockets. I knew that was his subtle way of communicating his discomfort. Most would think he was being casual but I knew better. Spending so much time with Jade meant spending more time with Beck.

"Oh, so you're landing me with all the questions? I see how it is Oliver," I teased playfully, trying to ease the tension. He chuckled, an honest sound that helped me loosen up. Maybe I really was forgiven.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm trying to do Vega," he replied. I laughed at this, thinking back to a few days before when Beck said he would take over calling me by my last name until Jade could talk again.

"Well, see you around," I said with a wave, heading for the door. He waved back and then I turned around to leave. Beck would watch her until her dad came home as always when I couldn't stay late. She'll be ok. She doesn't have as much conflict with him as she used to. I shut the door behind me and slumped back against it to rest for a while. Was it wrong that I was happy Beck gave up? Am I a bad friend for wanting someone that someone else loved? Did I really feel that strongly for Jade? I wasn't surprised to realize that the answer to that was yes; I did. This was the opportunity I needed. Jade obviously had feelings for me and if I didn't act now I would lose her. I sighed and pushed off the door to head to my car. I got in and sat a while there too before I finally started it up and left. Getting home was almost like a break but not really.

I had time to think on what was going on but at the same time I wanted nothing more than to be with Jade again. I stayed in my room until I was called down to dinner. As I tended to do I never brought up Jade or anything about her unless I was asked something I felt I could answer. No one asked me about it today though. I knew they knew something was up but again they didn't question. I loved that my family was understanding like that. They waited for me to come to them and for that I was always sure to come to them should I need it. They were always waiting patiently, without pressure. I smiled and began a conversation on what would be expected tomorrow. They brightened and joined in, the conversation lasting until dinner was done. I went to bed that night with my headphones in to stave off thoughts of Jade. I managed to fall asleep but it seemed so short because before I knew it I was woken up again by my alarm. I slapped a hand over the off button and groaned.

"Here's to a day of Trina's awful talent," I grumbled to myself.

"Hey, I resent that!" Trina's voice suddenly screeched. I jumped up to see my older sister digging through my closet.

"Trina, what are you doing?" I demanded, sliding out of bed.

"Looking for something to wear, duh," she replied with a roll of her eyes.

"You have your own clothes," I complained, crossing my arms.

"Well yeah, but I don't want to intimidate them. I want them to think I'm a normal, everyday kinda girl, who they shouldn't be afraid to hire," she responded, finally deciding on a shirt.

"Hey, that's my favorite shirt," I told her, snatching it from her hands before she could take it and ignoring her comment. It really should be my least favorite shirt but Jade had noticed it despite telling me it was ugly on me. She still noticed regardless so I had a feeling she didn't hate it as much as she let on.

"Fine, be that way. I'm taking this one then," she retorted, grabbing a different shirt I knew she had her eyes on since I bought it. She stuck her tongue out at me and grumbled under her breath about not being nice enough to share with my own sister but I just ignored her. It was enough that I was attending her try outs anyways. I looked down at the shirt in my hands before shrugging and deciding to wear it. In the next hour we were all ready to go. We each grabbed something to eat on the go and then left the house to pile in the car. To say it went bad would be an understatement. Trina looked like she was going to make the other actors sick on the spot. I laughed from my seat in the back until my mom nudged me to shut up. Trina complained the whole way home when she didn't get the part. I was just about to tell her she was good at acting horrendous but I was cut off by my phone. I pulled it out to see there was a text from Beck. He told me he was on his way to the airport and that Jade's dad asked him to tell me to stop by Jade's house on my way home if I could.

"Hey, do you think you could drop me off somewhere?" I asked, leaning forward to hang on the driver's seat. My dad glanced at me before returning to the road.

"Jade's house?" he guessed.

"Yeah, how did you-" I began but he just laughed.

"You practically live there kiddo. I assumed Jade's dad would need the help. I'm sure she's a handful any day and now that she doesn't really have control of her actions as well he must need extra help. I'll swing by there," he explained casually. I nodded and sat back in my seat, a small smile on my lips. Trina huffed next to me, crossing her arms and looking at me curiously. I turned away and looked out the window, waiting to see the familiar house I've indeed come to spend a lot of time in. We pulled up at the curb and Mr. West strode over.

"Hello Vega, nice meeting you again," he greeted gruffly, holding out a hand as soon as my dad had the window all the way down. They shook before Jade's dad continued.

"I wanted to ask if I could have Tori stay over for a longer period of time to help with Jade. It seems my daughter isn't as violent with her around and I really don't know how I'll be able to help her with…other things, that are far too personal," he explained, his voice tapering off towards the end. My dad laughed jovially and nodded.

"That's understandable. It's good if Jade has a friend close by. Beck is off to Canada again I assume?" my dad responded. Mr. West nodded.

"Yes, he is. So, I was thinking, I'll provide for Tori as long as she stays. She's free to leave anytime I'm home but otherwise I would rather have a familiar face around Jade at all times until she finds herself," he replied.

"Of course, Tori is great with everyone. I'm sure she'll be helpful," my dad assured him. I blushed at his praise and decided it was time to leave.

"I'll see you guys later," I told them hurriedly. They wished me luck and said their good byes. I watched as they drove down the street before turning to the solitary man beside me.

"She's pretty angry right now isn't she?" I guessed, my eyes spotting a bruise on his jaw.

"Yeah, I can't seem to figure her out. I was never any good at it to be honest. Now it seems ten times harder," he sighed, clasping his hands behind his back. I offered him a smile and he returned it. We walked to the house in silence until he cleared his throat when we got inside.

"She doesn't like being alone. I gathered that already. I'm glad you're here for her because I can't be. I'm pretty sure she doesn't want me there anyway. Every time you leave she has some kind of tantrum or other. I have no idea what she'll do when she realizes she trashed most of her things," he stated, walking into the kitchen. I followed him.

"Let's deal with one thing at a time Mr. West," I replied. He nodded and took out a glass along with some expensive looking alcohol I hadn't seen before. Nothing new there seeing as I didn't know much about alcohol in the first place.

"I'm going to unwind for the night. Make yourself at home," he told me, pouring himself a glass and setting the bottle aside. I nodded and took my cue to return to Jade. I could hear her pacing and heavy breathing when I came down. She snarled and threw aside her keyboard that sat innocently in her way. She was down in that unnatural stalking posture again. I wonder what had her pissed this time; besides being left alone for too long that is. I wouldn't be too happy either if I had been lost in the wilderness alone. Then add on being left alone again when all I wanted was company. Weird, Jade West wanted company. Maybe she was ready for more socialization now? I made a mental note to ask our friends over or at least take her out. I didn't know where but I knew she needed it. I trusted her to behave so it shouldn't be too hard.

I hopped off the last step and the sound of my feet hitting the floor made her freeze. She hastily stood up and walked over to me. Hey, she was getting the hang of walking upright again. My eyes fell to follow the sway of her hips but I shook my head and quickly looked away. No good would come of thinking like that. I scolded myself and brought my eyes up to hers. She stood in front of me with a heavy frown, she was holding her left hand in her right and it was then I realized she was injured. She silently let go of her hand and held it out for me to see without me having to ask. I took it carefully in my own to see a gash running across her palm. My eyes began scanning the room to land on her silver pair of scissors Cat gave her for Christmas. She must have cut herself. I let her go to retrieve them, seeing red stain the blades when I picked them up.

"I think you should hold off playing with scissors again until you know how to handle them," I told her. She grunted in disagreement and took them from me carefully before I could protest. She set them on her bedside desk along with other scissors she had dug up. I guess she knew what they were and how to handle them then. Maybe it was an accident? I wordlessly walked into the connected bathroom and gathered what I would need to clean her hand. I set them out on the counter and then walked back into the room. Jade was sitting on her bed, examining the cut from all angles in interest. Right, she still liked gore I take it. I carefully grabbed a hold of her wrist and tugged just enough to get her attention.

"When's the last time you had a shower?" I asked her, remembering then that Mr. West had paid a home nurse to help Jade out for the past several weeks. I guess it was up to me now. Why was fate so cruel though? Men everywhere and the one girl who could help is no better at feeling comfortable with it. I groaned as I led her into the bathroom. I let her go when we entered and backtracked to shut the door.

"Ok, you're going to take a shower and then I'll fix up your hand ok? Ok good," I breathed out, saying the last part to calm myself. I was shaking a little. Jade watched me with a smirk that felt like she knew what was going on in my head. God I could just hear her now, telling me I was such a prude and stuff like that. How I was blowing things out of proportion. I had turned around to take deep breaths so now that I was ready I turned back around to see Jade was already out of her clothes. I spun back around hastily. No, no, no, I can't do this! I could feel my cheeks heating up in embarrassment. The sound of the shower running made me crack open an eye and look around. Jade was already in the shower. Huh, that nurse must have taught her how to do it. I sighed and plopped on the toilet lid to put my head in my hands. The minute I heard the shower turn off I ran out of the bathroom. I only returned to place her clothes on the counter and then I was gone.

"Well, I dodged a bullet with that one," I mumbled. Jade opened the door a few minutes later and I chuckled at the sight of her backwards shirt. I walked over and grabbed the hem of her shirt to pull it off. I fixed it and replaced it all without thinking about what I just did. It was like helping a kid, not a fully grown girl I had major feelings for. I blushed suddenly and pulled away from her. That dang smirk was still present and I didn't like it. It was too much like the old Jade. Maybe she was just a few steps away from finding herself? I brushed past her to gather her clothes and take them to the hamper before sitting on the toilet again and patting my lap. It was more of a silent gesture for her to come over but she took it literally. She sat herself on my lap and instantly wrapped her hands around my neck to rest on my shoulders. Her nose found a spot under my jaw as she nuzzled me again. I bit my lip to hold back an inappropriate groan. My thoughts were already on a naked Jade and this wasn't helping.

"Jade, let me clean the cut," I managed to say, pulling on the arm that bore her injured hand. She let me pull it down to rest on her lap but her nose continued to drift up until I was tilting my head to allow her more room. She ended at my chin, her lips so close I could feel her warm breath on my own lips. I briefly wondered if she still knew how to kiss, or what a kiss meant, but the moment was broken the minute her hand clenched and caused her to gasp. She pulled away with a growl to look at her hand like it offended her. I snapped out of the haze that was surrounding me and cleared my throat.

"Here, let me help you," I muttered, taking her hand in mine and holding it steady so I could clean it. The rubbing alcohol would hurt but I was prepared to hold her down if necessary. I applied it and waited for an outburst but she just hissed before falling quiet. I made sure it was all cleaned out before applying some medicine and then bandaging it. She watched silently and flexed her hand after I was done. She stared into my eyes for a moment and then stood without warning to leave. I took a deep breath and then put everything away before following her. She was sitting on her bed when I walked out. I picked up her brush on the way and sat down behind her with my legs crossed.

She made no indication that she would move so I began brushing out her hair. When I was done I got up to set aside the brush and then came back to see she was lying spread out on her bed. Just like any other night I stayed she rolled over to give me room when I approached. She didn't use blankets and I learned not to push for them after she jabbed me in the side forcefully the one time I tried to cover her. She just didn't like them. I knew her retaliation was just an accident and it was proven when she rolled over to quickly pull me into her side. She practically squeezed me to death trying to apologize and I ended up with a sore side complete with bruise and all.

"Night Jade," I told her through a yawn. I rolled over and got comfortable but Jade's hand grabbed at my shoulder a moment later.

"Tori," she called, voice fast and clipped, sounding nothing like her. She rarely talked unless she really wanted my attention. I kinda missed when she called me Vega but this was good too.

"Yeah?" I replied. She continued to push at my shoulder until I rolled over to give her my attention. I almost forgot she didn't like being ignored or feeling like she was being ignored.

"What's up?" I asked her tiredly. She pulled me closer and tucked her head under my chin. I let my arms snake over her waist lazily to return her embrace. All was quiet and I was about to fall asleep when I heard strange humming coming from her. I listened carefully and was amazed to hear a broken up but unmistakable tune to Make It Shine. She was remembering. I smiled and hummed along with her, giving her a guideline to follow. I entertained thoughts of Jade singing herself to sleep or just to keep calm in the wilderness. The thought made my smile stretch into a grin. We both fell asleep quickly after that, the sound of our voices like a lullaby to each other. I woke up to Jade huddled against me from behind. Her arms wrapped around me and her legs tangled with mine. She gripped me in her sleep like I would suddenly disappear. I tried to move but she just growled threateningly and held on tighter.

"Mine," I heard her rough tone state in my ear. Her fingers flexed slightly before relaxing again when I fell still. The sound of her voice was aggressive, dangerous, yet it made me shudder at the possessiveness accompanied with it. I forced myself to calm down and without anything more to do I fell back asleep. The next time I woke up I was alone. I rolled on my back and stared up at the ceiling, wondering if I dreamt Jade saying I was hers or not. Jade came out of the bathroom a moment later and fell back on the bed. That nurse was beginning to be an angel sent to take all the embarrassing necessities out of my hands.

Thank you unknown nurse. I laughed to myself and closed my eyes only for Jade to suddenly jump on me. My breath knocked out of me with a grunt as I opened my eyes. She leaned over me questioningly but all I could do was blush and stare at her like an idiot. She was on** top **of me! My brain was having a hard time functioning at the moment. Jade tilted her head curiously, her short black hair falling to the side and across her cheek. I brushed it back to tuck behind her ear, all the while my eyes stayed on hers. She closed her eyes and leaned into my hand which stayed to press my palm to her cheek.

"Jade," I whispered with a heavy sigh, hearing the yearning I couldn't repress in my voice. She opened her mouth to try and talk but she faltered yet again. Her brows dug over her nose in frustration and her teeth clenched before her beautiful eyes opened again. She grabbed my hand in hers and brought it down. I watched as she carefully leaned in to press her lips to my cheek with some uncertainty. I remembered when I had done this to her a while back and couldn't keep the smile from appearing. She pulled back to look at me, a small, lopsided smile gracing her lips. She was so unsure but it was adorable. She leaned back in and carefully brushed her lips under my jaw and then down my neck experimentally.

Just by how hesitant she was told me she was trying out this new gesture. It didn't take a genius to see I was enjoying it either. I tried holding back any noise but a groan slipped out. I heard Jade's breath catch and her hands tighten on me before her hot, wet, tongue dragged up my neck. I moaned and tilted back my head, my eyes squeezed shut, and my hands gripping the blankets in an effort to at least hold my body back from responding. I wasn't even sure if she knew what she was doing to me but she had to know that I liked it at least. Her tongue made frequent sweeps against my skin a few more time before that rumbling sound returned but deeper. Her teeth nipped at my shoulder, making me flinch and my breath hitch.

"My Tori," I heard her practically purr against my skin. The sound of her husky voice alone made me moan again. I was getting too worked up. I couldn't do this. I had to regain control of the situation. I moved to push at her shoulders but she wouldn't budge.

"No more," I panted, pushing at her again.

"Mine," she growled, grabbing my hands to pin them down. Her teeth found the crook of my neck and bit into me roughly. My back arched under her, our bodies meeting. It almost surprised me when a groan fell from her parted lips. Her hands suddenly let me go and she sat up quickly. She looked at me with wide, panicked, eyes. She was panting hard, her eyes flicking around the room like she lost herself for a second and was trying to find where she was again. Her hands rubbed over her face before dropping to my stomach. I could feel them shaking. I took a moment to slow my heavy breathing before taking her hands in mine to calm her.

"S-sorry," she whispered, looking away from me. I squeezed her hands in mine.

"Hey, look at me," I called to her. She reluctantly returned her gaze and I was ready with a smile.

"It's ok Jade. It's ok to…" I began to say but trailed off. To what? To try and claim me like a wild animal? Ok, even that sounded hot to me. I shook my head of such thoughts and what they brought to try again.

"It's fine Jade. You're just feeling a little…overwhelmed. Come one, let's see if we can get you out of here for a little bit," I told her. I think we both needed it. She swallowed and nodded her head before climbing off me quickly. I moved to follow her but the door to her room opened at that moment. Jade snarled and pushed me back on the bed before rushing over to the foot of the stairs. She got there just as Cat Valentine descended. I gaped at her, a little worried about how Jade would react. Cat giggled and jumped off the last step.

"Hiya Tori! Hey Jade! I can't believe you've been hogging Jade this whole time. Jade's dad passed me on the way out and said she should be fine with others as long as you're here, so, here I am! I wanted to visit," Cat explained. I stood from the bed and made my way over to them but Jade pushed me back softly. Cat looked at her questionably but I just shook my head.

"She has a hard time with new people Cat," I told her.

"Well, I'm not new. Jade knows me," she pouted.

"I meant meeting people she hasn't seen in a very long time," I corrected.

"Oh, well we should fix that then. Oh I know! We can go on a walk and talk about everything we used to do together! Jade will remember after that right?" she exclaimed happily.

"It's worth a try," I agreed with a shrug. She cheered and ran forward to hug Jade but she just moved away.

"Oh yeah, sorry Jade," she mumbled, dropping her arms. I smiled at her attempt to stay calm and moved Jade aside so I could give her a hug instead. She squeaked happily and hugged me tight. I laughed and then released her. When I pulled back to stand by Jade she tilted her head at Cat. I could see she was starting to relax now that I practically gave her the ok.

"I'll wait upstairs," Cat said, skipping up the stairs and shutting the door a little hard in her excitement. She opened it again to shout her apology and then shut it softer than before. I laughed at her antics and turned to find something for both Jade and I to wear. I missed Cat. Hopefully Jade would accept the others just as easily but really, who or what could ever see Cat as threatening? I could see her accepting Andre but Robbie…well, she might not like him if she remembers that she didn't like him before. It could be the whole Beck thing all over again. I wasn't even going to get started on Rex. Jade was sure to tear him apart the moment she found something she didn't like about him. I was sure of that. I found the simplest thing Jade had and changed into it, reminding myself to stop by my house to pack.

Jade would have to come with me of course. I wasn't about to leave her here alone. I pulled out something for Jade who had already stripped. I held out the clothes with my eyes closed. She took them and got dressed. I made sure that she got dressed right this time before preparing myself for taking Jade outside. I hoped it didn't prove too much for her. After I got both our shoes on, a process Jade didn't like because she preferred being barefoot for obvious reasons, I stopped by Jade's dresser where I spotted a long black scarf draped off the side. I picked it up and turned to Jade to tie it on her right wrist. I tied the other side on my left wrist with the help of my teeth. Jade watched but did nothing to stop me. I lead her upstairs, the higher we went, the more her scowl turned into a nervous frown. I took her hand in mine and she glanced over at me.

"It'll be ok. It's best if we get you walking around, at least for a little bit," I told her encouragingly. She looked away to stare at the floor uncertainly. I reached over and pushed her head back up with a hand under her chin. She accepted the small correction and kept her head up, a determined expression taking over. I smiled and opened the door to see Cat waiting for us. She was laughing and jumping around, lost in her own world. Jade looked at her like she was seeing something truly strange.

"Come on Cat, let's get going before you scare Jade away," I said with a laugh.

"But, I can't scare Jade. Believe me, I tried," she replied seriously, her bouncing around coming to a halt.

"Sure," I said, dragging out the word. I walked past her and Cat followed with a skip. We walked out of the West household and came to an abrupt stop. Andre was smiling and waving from the driver side of his suburban. Robbie greeted us jovially from the back seat. I sighed and slapped a hand over my face.

"Cat, I thought you said we could go for a walk," I told her, feeling Jade tense next to me. She was glancing around everywhere. I knew she was looking for an escape route just by the way she stood. She was slowly regressing into the crouch that allowed her to take off like a cheetah. I tugged her closer so that our arms touched from our shoulders down to our still clasped hands. She gripped mine tighter.

"Yeah, but Andre and Robbie wanted to see Jade before we went. They dropped me off and told me they wanted to say hi as a payment for making them drive me over," she explained.

"But you don't know how Jade will-" I started to say but Jade suddenly dragged me over to Andre's car. She was determined and curious. I stumbled after her and stopped with my free hand braced on my bent knees when she finally halted at Andre's window.

"Hey girls, whassup?" he greeted.

"Hi ladies!" Robbie yelled. Jade flinched unhappily at his voice which raised an octave. She looked over at me questionably but I just shrugged.

"Friends," I told her simply as an explanation, leaning on the car and pointing at the boys. They waved again but then Robbie tumbled out of the back seat and stood next to us. Jade instantly backed away with a growl. Robbie's smile faded to be replaced by fear. Cat walked up to touch Jade's arm but she pulled away.

"No!" she warned, making us all step back.

"Whoa, she still got it," Andre muttered.

"Yeah, but a little more on the scary side," Robbie chimed in, his legs visibly shaking. He held his hands over his bottoms and hurriedly jumped in the back seat again.

"Aw man, you didn't wazz did you? Why would you get in my car?" Andre whined, looking back at Robbie who looked ashamed. Jade would be dying of laughter and proud as heck right now but instead she just looked ready to bolt.

"This is too much right now guys. Maybe another time. Let's go Cat," I said, turning from our friends to look at the pouting redhead. She nodded sadly before beginning to walk down the sidewalk.

"Kay, kay," she agreed quietly.

"See you," I said over my shoulder, trying to get Jade moving. I pulled her along, her feet dragging until she finally gave up and followed at a careful pace, slowing us all down. We leisurely made our way down the street to a park that we had frequented all the time as a group. We sat down on the bench of a dugout located in the very back of the park out in the fields. The whole way Cat had talked our ears off but I let her go on and on and on even though Jade was looking a bit irritated. She always did have some tolerance for the hyper girl so it wasn't a surprise when she managed to listen through it all without another outburst. I was hopeful Cat's crazy stories would help Jade in some way. I sat back and stared at the sky once we were seated.

"I missed you so much Jade. You've been away so long and I thought you weren't coming back but here you are! I'm so happy!" Cat exclaimed, throwing her arms around Jade who sat confused and unable to do anything but let it happen. I chuckled behind my hand and then held hers firmly, silently encouraging her to deal with it.

"So, what did the special doctor say about Jade getting better?" Cat asked me after she released Jade.

"He said if she spends time with everyone she'll remember and then she'll be back to her old self again," I explained simply.

"Oh, that's going to be easy. With friends like us she'll be better in no time!" Cat replied happily. I nodded but Jade grunted next to me. I looked at her and Cat did too, waiting for her to say something. When she didn't, Cat continued to talk. I listened to her going on about her brother doing something I shuddered at. I thought I saw Jade roll her eyes next to me but it could have been a trick of the light. She slid off the bench we sat on to pick up a stick and started drawing in the dirt. Cat and I continued to trade stories on what's been happening while Jade played in the dirt. I didn't know how long we were talking but we stopped when Cat looked down at Jade who had covered the area in weird scribbles and drawings. I had no idea what half of them were but some looked like letters or numbers. Hey, at least she was trying. Jade stood and tossed the stick before sitting next to me again. Cat crouched down with a giggle and pointed at a scribble.

"This one looks like a horsey," she stated. I laughed and leaned over Jade to see what Cat was pointing at.

"Hey, it does look like a horse. Whoa, I think that's a star and those are scissors," I added, pointing them out to Cat. She nodded and looked around at more of the drawings while I sat back. I saw Jade look pleased out of the corner of my eye. She tugged on my hand to bring me closer and leaned her head on my shoulder, her nose brushing my neck once before she got comfortable. I bit my lip in embarrassment when I heard Cat gasp. I thought she had seen Jade cuddling against me but it turned out she was still absorbed in the art Jade left in the dirt.

"Look, I think these are letters," Cat said, tracing over them in an attempt to understand. I tilted my head one way before changing to tilt it the other way but I couldn't figure out what letters they were. Cat looked up just then and her eyes widened in realization. She brought a hand to her mouth before looking back down at the dirt.

"You know, I think that could be a 'C' and that's an upside down 'L'," I contemplated. Cat shook her head and reached out.

"No Tori, look, it's a 'J' and a 'T'; for Jade and Tori. Even this weird sign looks like the add sign thingy," she explained.

"You mean the addition symbol?" I asked her. She nodded. I looked back down at it and began to see it but I didn't want to get my hopes up. Jade tightened her hold on me and sighed. Cat looked back up at us and smiled knowingly. She stood and dusted off her clothes even though she didn't need to.

"Oooh, Jade likes you Tori," she said in a teasing, dramatic tone. I blushed and moved to distance myself from Jade but she wasn't having it.

"It's ok, I won't say anything. I think it's cute though. I always knew Jade had a thing for you but she kept telling me she just enjoyed messing with you. I thought she meant something else and told her what I thought but then she yelled at me and was so mad she turned red!" Cat rambled. I felt my face heat up even more when I heard that. Did Cat just imply that she thought…ok, not going there. Jade obviously wasn't mad. She was most likely blushing just as I was now. Except, she was probably angry too and let Cat believe that's why her face was red. Man, I always thought Cat was innocent. So much for that. I felt Jade shift uncomfortably next to me and it hit me that maybe Jade knew what we were talking about. Did she? I hoped she did. Every memory counted towards bringing her back to herself. We spent a little more time with Cat before we headed home for something to eat.

Cat got picked up by Andre who showed up without Robbie. Jade allowed Andre to give her a hug which she stayed rigid through, regardless of letting him. He chuckled and told her to loosen up before patting her shoulder and then getting back in the car. Cat ran up and threw herself at Jade next. Jade pushed her off faster than Andre and I suspected it was because Cat was a little too energy ridden for her to handle at the moment. Calm was always better when it came to Jade, especially now. We said our good byes and went inside. I locked the door and untied Jade who began examining the house. I watched her for a little bit before wandering into the kitchen. I found an envelope with what I assumed to be Mr. West's neat scrawl. It looked almost like Jade's. He wrote that the money inside should cover any needs. I flipped open the flap and gasped at the amount inside.

"Oh my gosh!" I exclaimed, slapping down the envelope. I had never seen so much money in my life let alone all in one place! Jade came rushing in with her jaw set, a growl on her lips. When she saw no threat she looked at me with a frown and creased brows.

"Sorry, I just…haven't seen this much money," I explained lamely, shaking the envelope at her. To my pleasant surprise she rolled her eyes and walked over to take the envelope away from me to set it aside.

"Tori…y-you scared m-me," she mumbled, leaning in to brush her nose against mine. I closed my eyes and turned my face away from hers to keep myself from temptation. Wow, Jade was talking. Had she figured it out and just saw no reason to use it yet or did it just come to her now? Either way, I was glad she was getting the hang of it.

"I'm sorry. I was just shocked. I didn't mean to scare you," I replied, trying my hardest not to make a big deal out of hearing her talk more. In all honesty I had a feeling she knew more than she let on the moment she began understanding conversations better. It was all a matter of trying to get the ability to speak back on line I guess. It was weird though, because even though her words were unstable and tentative, her voice and tone were as strong as ever. She was always certain when she talked and now was no different.

"I'll um, I'll order something ok? I know you like pizza," I muttered, swallowing nervously when she curiously rested her hands on my waist.

"T-too much," she told me with a shake of her head. I looked up at her in confusion.

"Of what?" I asked her.

"Talking," she answered, looking me in the eye in a way that made me shiver. Jade always intimidated me, and she never looked like she could be nice, but at that moment, under all those scars and constant scowl, she was trying to tell me something without telling me. I just couldn't place it yet.

"I know. You used to tell me that all the time," I replied, looking away again.

"Yeah?" she responded. I could hear laughter in her tone.

"Yes, you do, every chance you get you tell me to shut up. I'll have you know I love talking and don't intend to stop any time so-" I began to ramble, knowing I was and doing it anyway but I was cut off by Jade pressing me into the counter she had trapped me against. Her left arm wrapped around my waist while her right hand slid up my neck. She was eyeing me like a predator eyeing its prey. Her hand continued to my chin where she gripped it in her fingers firmly but still gentle. She made me look her straight in the eyes.

"Stop," she commanded lazily, knowing I would listen without force. She shot me a smirk I could only describe as sexy before she kissed my jaw tenderly and then let me go to walk away. I let out the breath that was caught in my throat and almost fell over. What the heck was that? It was so intense yet so simple. How did she manage to work me up that fast? I shook my head and pulled out my phone to order our food. Afterwards I took a seat at a chair in the kitchen and rested my head on my arm which rested on the table top. I listened to Jade explore and eventually settle in the living room where she figured out how to get the TV going. By the time the pizza came and we ate it was beginning to get late. I remembered I had on Jade's clothes. I ran my hand down the dark colored fabric before smiling. Jade's clothes, I was wearing her clothes. I felt special even though it was just clothes and she hadn't even given them to me. I just put them on without asking. She didn't seem to mind though. With a little explaining to Jade about where I needed to go she agreed to go with me instead of stay home. So, we headed for my house. I turned to Jade and gauged her expression before getting out of the car.

"I know you might be mad for making you meet Trina all over again but I think it might actually help as crazy as that sounds," I told her. She frowned at me when she heard Trina's name. I laughed and smacked her shoulder playfully without thinking. She gave me a glare that shut me up. I guess she remembered Trina and still didn't like her. I hastily pulled out the scarf I had remembered to grab on the way out. We got out and I tied us together again.

"Please promise me you won't kill her or even try. As annoying as she is she's still my sister," I begged her. She glanced at my house before leveling her hawk like eyes on me again.

"Promise," she grunted with a terse nod. I smiled and pulled her into a hug I could only really do with one hand. I felt her fingers lace together with mine and smiled wider. I pulled away to flash her my smile and then began walking to the door. I opened it without needing a key and looked around for anyone who might be home.

"Ok, maybe we can sneak in and out without being seen. Hey, Jade where are you going?" I wondered when she ignored me to enter like she was in a trance. She looked around quickly, scanning everything she passed. She circled around the kitchen before moving to the living room. I could see that she recognized my house by the way she seemed lost in thought. She wandered over to the couch and carefully sat down. Her free hand smoothed over the fabric like she was trying to memorize it.

"I-I remember…" she whispered, making me perk up at what she said. That's why she was acting weird. She was getting a blast from the past on overdrive. She stood up suddenly, looking over at me before suddenly darting up the stairs. I let her drag me along, wondering what she was up to. She burst into my room and looked around the moderate space just as she had downstairs. Her hand ran over a few things as she walked around, stopping at the picture of our group.

"W-we hung o-out here," she stumbled over her words.

"Yeah, we always go to my house for get-togethers. We watch movies and eat and stuff like that," I answered her with a nod. She shook her head and tugged me over to stand by my bed.

"Just you…and m-me," she corrected. It took me a while to work out what she meant but then I knew.

"You and I did hang out here, in my room," I agreed. Those few weeks before she left with Beck were one of the best moments of my life. She was choosing to let me in, we were becoming close friends. Those must be the same days Beck felt that we were getting closer than he and Jade ever got. Jade let her hand skim over the comforter of my bed before turning to me. She looked at me with a gaze that held so much I was hooked. She stepped towards me and reached up to place a hand on her chest. She hesitated, but then she reached into the collar of her shirt and pulled out a silver chain with a silver music note hanging off of it. I sucked in a sharp breath at the sight.

"You-you kept it on all this time?" I asked her, touched. She nodded, her fingers smoothing over the battered accessory.

"It h-helped me…a lot," she told me truthfully, dropping it so that it hung on top of her shirt.

"I'm glad. I wanted you to remember me and keep home close to your heart," I shared, blushing a little at my confession for the reason I bought her the necklace.

"I did. I remembered e-everything. Thank you," she replied. I smiled and scuffed my foot on the floor shyly.

"It makes sense that you remember everything here, in my house, and in my room. I gave you the necklace here after all," I stated, trying to go for nonchalant but failing from my embarrassment. It was true though. It was a day before she would be leaving and the person she wanted to see before she left was me. I took it as a best friend thing but was it just that all along? What **did** change her mind about me in the end? Beck had said she harbored these feelings for me longer than she let on but he could see it. How come I never saw it then? Suddenly I wished I had seen it way back before she left. If I did, would I have acted on it to keep her from leaving? The answer was no. I wouldn't. I wouldn't do that to Beck. Even now I felt bad for it, but reducing Jade to instinct had done nothing but make it clear how she felt for me. She liked me this whole time.

"Yeah, I held the n-necklace and sung y-your songs to s-stay calm," she admitted, a shy smile alighting on her lips. That was a sight that made me smile. She shifted nervously before subconsciously letting out a frustrated growl and falling into her stalking walk.

"Jade?" I inquired, reaching out to her, my smile dropping. She whimpered and shook her head, curling up to sit on the floor and lean against my bed.

"Beck, Beck and I f-fought. I was m-mad at him. I lost him," she gasped, holding her head in her hands. I had a sinking feeling she meant that in more ways than one. I crouched down next to her and carefully untied us. I was trusting her not to lose it right now. I had to remove the restraint though because it was too uncomfortable to keep it there in a time like this. She needed comfort. I sat next to her and wrapped an arm around her but she was quick to settle in my lap and curl into me. I silently held her as she let the tears well up again.

"It h-hurts," she gasped out, her voice breaking as her breath caught on a sob. I still couldn't say anything. I wanted to but I had nothing to say.

"He g-gave up o-on me d-didn't he?" she remarked. I tightened my hold on her at the words, remembering my conversation with Beck.

"No Jade, he loves you very much. He just understands that he isn't what you wanted or who you n-need," I answered, my voice almost failing me at the end. I still couldn't believe that she wanted me over Beck; over the person she was supposed to love. Even when she came to the realization that she lost him for her decision she was still here, with me.

"I still l-love him t-too…" she told me. I nodded, my own eyes watering at this point from the waves of emotions radiating off her.

"But I'm n-not **in **l-love with him a-anymore," she confessed. I held my breath and waited as she wiped at her face. She shifted in my arms and I dropped them so she could move easier. She looked at me with such intensity and slowly brought her hands up to cup my face carefully. I damn near had a heart attack when she said her next words.

"I fell for you Tori," she stated, her voice lacking any hesitation, the tone heated yet sure. It caressed over me like a promise, making me smile happily. My tears finally began to fall just as she closed the distance between us. Her lips met mine in a feverish frenzy that was hard and forceful at first but slowed into languid tenderness that tore at my heart. She broke it to pant heavily against my lips before she began kissing my jaw and then down my neck. Her hand moved to pull at the collar of my shirt.

"I'm s-sorry for this," she told me, her hand passing over a spot on the crook of my neck that made me hiss in pain and flinch. That must be where she had bitten me before. Thank god Cat hadn't seen it.

"It's ok. I kinda liked it," I admitted with a blush. Her sudden quiet chuckle made me look at her with a smile.

"Thank you f-for being there for me this whole t-time Tori," she whispered, taking up her habit of nuzzling into me, the gesture feeling a little more intimate now.

"No problem," I answered, holding onto her, unwilling to let go just yet. Jade's grip on me strengthened too. We stayed in each other's embrace for a few more minutes before parting so I could pack. I gathered what I would need for the week. I still wanted my time with Jade before everyone caught on to the fact that she was almost completely herself again. When that happened I was sure she would be going straight back to school to finish her last year. When I had what I needed we left. I caught Trina pulling into the driveway when I turned the corner. That was close. I didn't want Jade to see Trina now that she was pretty much in a good mood. We could reserve Jade's bad days for Trina visits. That was bound to be interesting. Wow, I think I've learned a little something about devious intent from Jade. Speaking of Jade…I glanced over at her to see she was idly looking out the window. I reached over and held her limp hand resting on her lap. She squeezed my hand back but didn't move otherwise. I knew she was in the middle of thinking so I stayed quiet and let her be. We had plenty of time to talk later. For now, I was looking forward to spending as much time with Jade as I could.

* * *

It's amazing how fast Jade was catching up to who she was before the whole camping incident. Her first line of business was to start home schooling to at least get her general education out of the way. She would continue what she was learning in Hollywood Arts at whatever college supported those programs. Her dad agreed on one condition, that she put her all in her education. That meant I wasn't to distract her. I laughed at this when she told me. Her dad was a pretty cool guy once I got used to him. He was a lot like Jade. I imagined that was exactly how she would be. It's been a month since that week following the day at my house when Jade regained all her memories. Our time together was almost up but it was a week full of new memories I would always cherish. Jade and I agreed to take things slow because she was still sort of stuck in between the two mindsets; the one that was truly her, and the one she created to survive. I made sure to show Jade that I still had her letter just as she still had my gift to her. She smiled and put it back in the bag before kissing me softly and thanking me for fulfilling my promise to return her to humanity. Like the sap I was, I told her there was no way I wouldn't help the girl I fell for. She laughed and I snuggled closer to her, loving that she preferred cuddling due to the lingering animal in her.

That's what I called it too, the animal within her that never left. It showed up every so often, a part of her that wouldn't be completely erased. It survived within her just as it helped her to survive. We slowly but surely started to hang out with the others sometimes, including Beck once he came back. It was weird at first but we all got over that bump in the road. Jade couldn't last very long around them or out in public at first but she quickly caught on and was back to how she was in no time at all; even making me help her remodel her room when she saw what she did to it. I laughed at the fit she threw from irritation at herself. Now it was Sunday though, and tomorrow Jade would be attending her first home school class. After checking in one last time with her therapist, he cleared her and agreed that she should start on her education as soon as possible. That meant that today marked the last day I could spend all day with her. I was currently laying out on her bed, thinking about what I would do about my own schooling and getting a job, when she came down the stairs. She set down the water bottle she had left to get on her desk and tossed me the other one. The problem was, I wasn't paying attention. I cried out in startled pain when it struck me in the stomach. I held my injured body and rolled off the bed to land on my knees on the floor.

"You're so dramatic Tori," Jade told me as she hauled me off the floor effortlessly. I let my hands fall on her waist and she smirked. God, I loved that smirk. It was even more predatory, having been affected by the wilderness like the rest of her.

"Hey, I don't have crazy reflexes like you do ok?" I whined, still milking my injury by holding it like I was fatally wounded and leaning against her for support. She was practically holding me up on her own but she didn't seem to care.

"I really have no clue what happened to me out there, and I don't want to know because I still remember intense pain, so I don't want a picture to go with that, but I'm sure I've endure more than a blow to the stomach. Suck it up," she told me lazily, her smirk still in place though, letting me know she wasn't upset.

"But it hurts so much," I said, still hamming it up even as I giggled. She rolled her eyes and let me go to get a drink of her water. I squeaked and almost fell when she walked away without warning. I glared at her but she just winked at me and took a long drink. She had gotten her piercing back to conceal the scar just under it. Her tattoo was a different story. An injury to her arm seemed to have been deep enough to cut a path diagonally through the nautical star. She claimed it looked cool and didn't even bother fixing it. Her hair grew out more and she colored the new streaks a forest green color. She shook her head and set her water aside before leveling a look at me that had me frozen in place. Oh no, not that look. It made me anxious and still a little scared if I really had to admit to it. She stalked forward, not needing the strange way she had walked before to make me feel every bit as hunted. Her eyes locked with mine and snarl slipped from her mouth before she had me thrown back onto the bed in a way that was gentle yet still gave me a rush. She crawled toward me and it was then she used that unnatural movement that had me gulping every time.

"You're in big trouble Vega," she informed me, finally hovering over me. She straddled my waist and her strong grip latched onto my wrists to pin my hands over my head. I closed my eyes, feeling both aroused yet uncertain in these times. We haven't gone any further than kissing and careful caresses but it wasn't really needed when she sent so much emotions running through me that it was driving me crazy. She leaned in and snapped playfully at me before kissing her way down my neck to suck on my pulse point. Without warning her teeth dug into my skin, putting a little more pressure before releasing to be replaced by her provocative tongue. I moaned breathily and shuddered against her.

"You animal," I accused, my voice almost nonexistent. I meant that in every meaning possible too. She had so much raw passion and desire it was ridiculous. She smiled proudly before laying a deep kiss on me, her tongue easily controlling mine. She pulled away to smirk at me seductively.

"I know, you tell me how hot it is," she responded. I let out a ragged breath at her words. That rumbling sound started up again as she licked a trail up my neck. I groaned, long and drawn out at the sensation she created. My hands flexed, itching to be released. She let them go and I buried them in her hair to bring her back into a sensual kiss. She growled and bit at my lip then tugged slightly before she forced my head up at an angle. I knew what came next. There was always a mark on me somewhere. I let her impulse to mark me run its course. She needed it, that animal instinct presenting itself again. She sucked at a spot on my neck that always had me squirming under her and she knew it. Her dark chuckle confirmed this before she moved on. Instead of pulling my shirt aside to nip at more skin she quickly got rid of it instead. I gasped in surprise at how swiftly she removed it but that was instantly replaced with a cry of pleasure tinged pain. Her teeth were rough and demanding on my shoulder, possessive as always. Her hot mouth replaced the teeth to suck before her tongue passed over.

"You're mine Tori Vega, no matter what. You'll always be mine," she whispered huskily in my ear. I nodded, fully agreeing with her.

"I'll always be yours Jade. I wouldn't want anyone else," I replied sincerely. Her lips found mine, molding against them tenderly. She took her time, her tongue dipping into my mouth to run over my own tongue gently. Her hands ran up my body with the utmost care, like she didn't want to break me. The strange contrast between rough and gentle was like a rollercoaster of sensations. We broke from the kiss, breathing hard. My hands slipped under her shirt to run up her back. She closed her eyes and focused on the feeling of my hands on her skin. She always told me she liked feeling my skin graze over hers in any way. When she opened her eyes I grasped the hem of her shirt. She held a hard glint in her eyes but helped me remove it, baring all her scarred glory to me for the first time. I could feel her tense, her hands curling into fists on either side of me where they were buried in the bed. She was waiting for me to say something, I could tell, so I told the truth.

"You're beautiful Jade," I stated. She looked me in the eyes and allowed a soft smile to grace her lips. She leaned in and nipped playfully at my jaw before doing what she did best, nuzzling at my neck.

"I love you," I heard her murmur against my skin softly. The words could have been lost if I hadn't been paying attention, that's how quiet they were. I held back the tears threatening to spill and distracted myself by switching our positions. I pinned her down and let my hands wander over her body, needing to feel every inch of her under my hands. I wanted to feel the scarred skin along with the soft skin that still lied in between them. I worked up until I was tracing over her arms and then her shoulders and then her neck to pass over the last scar on her jaw. I cupped her face in my hands and dipped down to brush my nose with hers.

"I love you too," I muttered, my lips almost touching hers. She smirked as her hands gripped my hips to pull me against her. I hissed out my pleasure at the friction it caused but I managed to stay focused.

"It was about time you told me Vega," she teased playfully, her lips brushing mine once. I chuckled.

"I could say the same thing West," I replied, finally letting my lips meet hers. It tugged a moan from both of us when our hands wandered and the kiss escalated. I allowed her to hook her thumbs in my sweats and pull them off. I returned the favor. She forced me on my back and began tasting random spots on my body, I clung to her, lost in the moment. I may have wanted the old Jade but I got her and much, much more in return. She was wild and untamed at some moments but I loved it. The same thing that caused her to act this way also triggered her sense of protection and her territorial need to keep me near her at all times when she was around. She could be an affectionate and playful puppy yet a stalking, hungry panther; innocent but so dangerous in the most interesting ways. Those long days, months, almost a year, were harsh on us both but she pulled through like I knew she would.

She came back to me and now here she was in my arms. My thoughts were effectively silenced when her bare body slid over mine, our hips pressed together and scrambling my thought process. I cried out her name and her lips found mine, my name rolling off her tongue in a sultry caress between kisses. We became lost in each other, me and Jade, who embraced the animal she had become to turn it into something better. She was a stronger person because of it. Our day ended in each other's arms, Jade using the blankets for once in an effort to keep our bare bodies covered from the chill that fell in the room when the sun set. I think I smiled the whole night, falling into sleep with the help of a satisfied body and Jade humming a song to me. I held her in my arms and she took the spot she usually did, her body wound around mine with her head under my chin. I couldn't wait to see what awaited me, because so far, it was looking more than promising with Jade by my side.


End file.
